Monday, September 29, 2014

Welcome back to Last Week in TV. We discussed summer TV last time so this time I am sharing my 3 biggest wishes for returning shows I watch. For any shows that returned this week, the wish list can be found with the review. Please discuss your wishes for your favorite shows in the comments section below. While you're at it, don't forget to nominate a show for me to review. It's a simple 2 question form to fill out so it won't take much time. This week's nominated show is Drop Dead Diva, which was smarter than I expected and twice as much fun. It is on my hiatus to-watch list now. As always, I'd love to hear what you thought about TV this week. Until next time, happy viewing!

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Returning Show Wish Lists:

As the fall season begins in earnest, here are the things I most want to see in the returning shows I watch. For shows that returned this week, their wish list is in with the review of the episode.

The 100 -

1. Less romance of all sorts, but especially love geometry
2. Equal time between the 100 and Ark survivors
3. More time learning about the various grounders

Community -

1. Less wacky and more cleverly funny episodes
2. More Hickey and less Dean
3. Could we please get Troy back? Please.

Elementary -

1. Bring back Moriarty. This is a must.
2. More of Watson becoming a stronger character in her own right
3. Continue Sherlock's growth into a decent human being

Grimm -

1. Fix Juliette or get rid of her. She's no more a real part of the story than she was in previous years when she was largely a plot device.
2. Rediscover the humor and add it into every episode.
3. Tell Wu the truth
4. More information about the Royals and their goals

Resurrection -

1. Step up the pace. I love this show but there are long stretches where nothing happens.
2. Step up the answers. This is another show that tends to pile them on instead of pacing them out.
3. Give Elaine more to do. She's the most underappreciated one of all.

TURN -

1. Stop the Abraham and Anna affair. NOW!
2. Add in more historical figures we know or at least open up the scale of the war
3. The "good" guys are already as grayscale as they can get. It is time to make the "villains" more grey then too. Simcoe is full-on nuts, Rodgers is a savage, and Hewlett is a moron. Only Andre is clever. We need to have more sympathetic villains if it's going to get harder to root for the good guys. After all, every war has 2 perspectives.

Overall Awards:

Best Premiere - Sleepy Hollow - 2.01 - This is War

After spending the first 12 minutes confused, the rest of the Sleepy Hollow premiere raced by leaving me exhilarated and excited by the promise of this season. To be honest, this was my most anticipated return and that made me nervous because it is very seldom that the actual episode lives up to the hype. This one did. There were some slow moments like the mirror chat but for the most part I was on baited breath throughout. I especially loved Jenny and Henry, who both stole any scene they were in and did a fantastic job in their scene together. I would love to see them interact more. The only thing that disappointed me is that Katrina is still isolated from the rest of them. I like how she has her own present day plot and Headless getting a virtual head so he can talk was a good plan, but I need Ichabod and her to have some time together to explore this new world. That can't happen if the plot continually keeps them apart.

Grade: A

Best Scene - Jenny kicks butt
Best Reason to Watch - the pacing and continued mystery
Best Humor - Ichabod's phone is out of memory
Biggest Twist - the entire first 15 minutes are a hallucination
Best Addition - Ben Franklin
Best Character - tie - Jenny / Henry
Most Missed - Captain Irving
Least Missed - Cho, as in I don't know why he's still in this show
Biggest Plot Device - the key that lets Abbie out of Purgatory and miraculously crumbles when she's safe
Creepiest Moment - Henry asks to take Abbie's hand so he can read her sins
Best Quotes -
1. Henry: "I am a sin eater. I can taste your lie. You don't have to tell me. Your sins will speak for themselves." Jenny: "I've done a lot of sinning. I hope you choke on every one of them."
2. Abbie: "Party's over." Ichabod: "Jeez, thank God."

Wishlist -

1. Keep the humor. Part of what makes this series great is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.
2. Keep up the breakneck pacing. No show except Teen Wolf moves as quickly as this show does and that's a fantastic thing.
3. More Jenny, less Brooks

Best Pilot - tie - Scorpion and How to Get Away with MurderScorpion - 1.01 - Pilot

This is the first new show that had my attention the entire way. It was fun right from the beginning and didn't bog down the action in order to give us a lot of exposition. We know these guys are smart, they all have a history, and they really aren't concerned about the law. That's all I need to know in the pilot, because the background can come later. Instead it rushes headlong into the plot in a mere 6 minutes. Yahoo! It might be a pilot record these days. Add to it the team vibe I have been missing since TNT cancelled Leverage and this becomes must-see TV for at least 4 episodes. If it can keep the momentum and make the case of the week as interesting as this one, then it will be appointment TV. It does get a few points shaved off for the absolutely ludicrous way it resolved said case, but I can overlook ludicrous if the action/pace is good enough and if I eventually come to care about the characters. In the end I want to be entertained, and I was for a solid 42 minutes here. This is what Intelligence wanted to be.

Grade: A-
Ranking - 5

Audience - people who don't mind a bit of the ludicrous in their fast-paced action fun. If you can stomach the uploaded alien virus in Independence Day, you'll be fine. People who like teams working together to solve the impossible, a la a genius Leverage.

Best Scene - Paige and Walter haul it to get to the airport
Best Reason to Watch - the heart pounding pace
Best Moment - Ralph hands Paige her keys
The "Welcome Back" Award - Alimi Ballard, who played David on Numbers
Biggest Huh Moment - Why do we have an emotional pep talk in the middle of a crisis?
Best Soccer Mom Driving - Paige
Biggest Surprise - Gallo takes a truck head on in order to allow Walter to get to the airport
Least Believable - everything to do with the plane , the plug, and the laptop
Best Quotes -
1. Walter: "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your son's a genius."
2. Paige: "You're the world's smartest computer guy and this comes down to plugging something in."
3. Walter: "You cross me on this, I'll go online and in less than an hour I will erase you."

Best Cliffhanger / Best Pilot - How to Get Away with Murder - 1.01 - Pilot

With a 3.9 in demo, this is the biggest pilot of the season so far and definitely a buzz worthy new show. The best thing about the episode was how they interspersed the students trying to get rid of a body, while flashing back to how they all met and the first case they worked together. I am not sure if the entire season will take place in those 3 months alternating the details leading up to the murder with a crime of the week or not, but it does seem likely. It's a format that really worked here so I imagine it will continue to draw people's attention and lead to great cliffhangers like this one. Add to it the death of another student, which likely involved the dead husband as well, and suspicions about how far all the characters are willing to go, and you've got a show that works on many different levels. This may end up the winner for Biggest New Show at season's end. It is certainly the most water cooler worthy pilot so far.

Grade: A-
Ranking - 5
Prediction - This was the highest rated pilot of the week and it has a lot of buzz. While it is always hard to predict how a show will end up based solely on the pilot, I am guessing it will be renewed and may end up the biggest new show of the year even though the demo will of course drop.

Audience - people who like a good mystery and complicated characters

Best Scene - Connor singing about murder to the tune of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Best Moment - Keating and her husband look away from each other after hearing about his dead student. Something was definitely going on between hubby and the dead girl and Keating knows it.
Best Reason to Watch - the mystery of how these law students turned murderers
Best Set-Up - Interspersing the murder with how the murderers all met each other in a law class
The "Welcome Back" Award - Liza Weil, who was Paris on Gilmore Girls. She looks so different that I didn't immediately recognize her.
Best Cliffhanger - you cannot beat a bunch of law school students burning the body of their professor's husband for making people want to tune back in and see what happened
Best Quote - Keating: "Good morning. I don't know what terrible things you've done in your life up to this point, but clearly your karma's out of balance to get assigned to my class."

Best Comedy - The Goldbergs - 2.01 - Love is a Mix Tape

Note - This was my favorite comedy last season. I've been waiting all summer for it to return and I wasn't disappointed. I love the Goldberg family.

Ah, the mix tape. That brings back memories. Do kids today even do mix tapes or do they share playlists? I remember taping songs off the radio. The sound quality sucked but Casey Kasem was bound to play that one song that reminded you of your special someone so you could hand them a mix tape on Monday at school. Those were the days. Thankfully my mom was never as crazy as Beverly Goldberg, who in her trademark way goes way overboard this episode. Here's a hint - no kid ever makes a mix tape for their parents. Luckily Beverly saves it in the end with The Goldbergs' traditional combination of laughs and heart. Murray scores too by bailing Barry out of a beer jam. In the end it is the kind of heartwarming comedy that will always be appointment TV for me.

Grade: B+

Best Scene - Murray tells Barry that he will always be there for them but not to tell the others
Best Reason to Watch - Murray and Beverly rescue their kids
Biggest Aww Moment - Beverly helps Adam with Dana
Best Moment - Meller takes Barry's fake id
Best Cross-Speaking - Beverly reinterprets everything Pops says to mean that she needs to interfere with Adam's love life
Best Character Interaction - Barry and Erica
Biggest Laugh - Murray looking at the stairs and deciding to just stay downstairs for the day
The "Oh No You Didn't" Award - Beverly tells Erica and Barry that Adam is her favorite kid
Best Nostalgia - Adam's Lost Boys shirt
Biggest Surprise - I actually liked David Spade in something. That's a first.
Best Quotes -
1. Pops: "Did you just make a date with your mother?" Adam: "Yes, this whole situation is super messed up."
2. Beverly: "Both of you look at me. Adam's my favorite." Erica: "Yeah, I'm okay with it." Barry: "Me too."
3. Barry: "Let's go buy some yeast and barley and start bonding in the bathtub." Murray: "Okay, whatever stupid thing you're up to, I am not bailing you out." Barry: "I know you always say this, but let's just pretend for one second I did something real stupid." Murray: "I can do that." Barry: "Isn't it your legal responsibility as my father to bail me out?" Murray: "No, it's my responsibility to make you face whatever dumb a** decision you made head on even if kills you. I'm a good dad."

Wishlist -
1. Keep the combination of humor and heart
2. Make Beverly less unbelievable. She can still be over the top and wacky, just tone her down a little.
3. More of Murray interacting with his kids

Nominated Show:

Drop Dead Diva - 1.01 - Pilot

This show could go wrong really quickly because it depends on the audience being able to sympathize with Jane/Deb. Making her too much of a joke, too shallow, or too serious about the situation would topple this delicately balanced house of cards, especially when the stiff wind of having Deb's boyfriend work at Jane's office blows in. That's a plot device I did not need. Still the pilot is charming and both women are shown to have their strengths and issues, which helps me like the combination of the two. The memory canon is all kinds of wonky but watching Jane inspire others while learning how to deal with this new life of her own overcomes it. In a word I found this episode charming and I have to admit it was hard not to allow Netflix to go to the second episode and play hooky from the rest of the episodes I need to review.

Grade: B+
Ranking: 4

Best Scene / Best L'Oreal speech - Jane convinces the cheated on wife to stand up for herself because she's worth it
Best Quote - Fred: "You're grieving." Jane: "For myself. Does that make me self-absorbed and selfish?" Fred: "Nah, it makes you human."
Best Reason to Watch - it is an intriguing concept delivered with humor and heart
The "Hey It's You" Award - Deb on here is Paige on Royal Pains. She's got a better role now.
Worst Bit of Fate - tripping on a designer purse into a gunman. That's just destiny coming to screw you. Buried alive by oranges is not exactly normal either.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Well, not so much a welcome back since this episode took place in 2009, but I will take Susan Walters and Linden Ashby any way I can get them. The real life husband and wife team playing divorcing spouses is an awesome bit of meta. Love them both on Teen Wolf.
Most Bizarre - Stacy acts like she's never heard of chocolate before
Most Hilarious - Spray cheese therapy
Most Confusing - why does Jane remember some stuff like legal terms but not the clients in which she used them with? I think they are taking liberties with memory because she obviously remembers studying those words.
Best Music - Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie

New Shows:

Madam Secretary - 1.01 - Pilot

In the wake of the former Secretary of State dying in a plane crash, an ex-CIA analyst/history professor steps into the job and finds herself in the middle of a government conspiracy at the highest level while dishing out PSA's on world health care. That's a lot to tackle in the pilot. The best thing about Madam Secretary so far is the acting. While Tea Leoni is an appealing combination of shrew negotiator and insecure mother, the real gem for me was Nadine, played by Bebe Neuwirth, aka Frasier's wife Lilith. Her blink and you missed it scenes crackled and I hope that her part is beefed up in the future. After all, Madam Secretary is going to need an ally. Mostly the plot about saving two American idiots in Syria was nothing new but it was used as a vehicle to show that Elizabeth is not going to be your average political monkey. Those interested in political mavericks should give this one a try but I felt bored most of the way and the hook of government conspiracy made me even less likely to continue.

Grade: C-
Ranking - 2+

Audience - Those who like shows about political maneuverings and strong women in shaky situations

Best Scene - Elizabeth and the Chief of Staff go toe-to-toe after she goes around him to PotUS
Best Reason to Watch - acting
Best Surprise - while the kids are unique, thus far they are NOT brats
Worst/Least Surprise - the government conspiracist dies under suspicious circumstances
The "Welcome Back" Award - Tim Daly returns to TV. I don't think I've seen him in anything weekly since Wings and the Fugitive remake.
Best Quote - Elizabeth: "Is it my masculine energy? I've got to much of it, because I know some men, they're turned off by women in positions in power." Hank: "I totally love women in power positions. I'm completely attracted to your masculine energy. (pause) Tell me what to say."

Gotham - 1.01 - Pilot

All I know about Batman I learned from the vastly superior TV show (yeah I love that one best), some cheesy movies, one I actually liked, and that movie everyone else loved but I didn't. Therefore I had no idea who most of these people were until they were explicitly indentified and even less about what was going on. I thought Fish was the best developed of the villains, probably because she is an original character, while Harvey felt the most stereotypical. When getting ready to review this show, I asked other non-comic book fans how they felt about the show as well to see if I was the only one who felt lost. CP kindly answered me (thanks!) and she did some research on the characters she didn't know. To quote her, "I can't imagine anyone with no comic book or Batman movie background watching this. You kind of have to know things to get into it." That's my general feeling as well. I knew who the main ones were but I didn't feel connected to any of the characters in particular to make me want to put much effort into it.

Grade: C
Ranking - 2+

Audience - I would say comic book fans, but I have no idea if this origin story is faithful to the comics or not, so I am going to say people who like antiheroes in their genre TV.

Best Reason to Watch - back story on the non-Batman characters of lore
Biggest Question - How did the fat mugger outrun the ex-soldier police rookie?
Most Clichéd - earnest rookie do-gooder cop paired with haggard, old-time. rule-bending, cynic cop
Most Likely to End Up in Starling City - Falcone, who sounds an awful lot like Blood with his crime to save people speech
Best Quotes-
1.Barbara: "Hey, I very much doubt that you are out of your depth but even if you are, you know how to swim, don't you?" Gordon: "Yes I do." Barbara: "So swim."
2. Falcone: "I'm a business man. You can't have organized crime without law and order."
3. Gordon: "You make a life of crime sound very noble."

Forever - 1.01-1.02 - Pilot and Look Before You Leap

I am a sucker for shows with historical flashbacks. From my first encounter with Highlander to Monday's Sleepy Hollow, I love seeing the historical mixed in with current times. I am also a fan of Ioan Gruffudd, from way back in his Horatio Hornblower days. That said I was predisposed to like this show. The premise is about a man who cannot die. Whenever he does die, he spontaneously wakes up naked in a body of water. Try explaining that multiple times. Somehow his body where he died disappears as well - again try explaining that one. While his true profession is looking for a way to break his curse and die, he works as a medical examiner in the day time and partners with Detective Martinez. Both lost a spouse in the past, hers more recently. Overall I thought the first two episodes were good if a bit slow in parts. The storyline is intriguing although Henry relies too much on Sherlock Holmesian manners. The best part of the show so far is Abe and Henry's relationship and the cases of the week, which were unique and challenging. The worst part is the pacing and Henry's stalker. I get that this is the serial part of the story and usually that's my favorite, but in this case it stops the momentum and I get the feeling they are going to drag this plot point out beyond being tolerable.

Grade: B-
Ranking - 4

Audience - People who like their supernatural story with some procedural elements a la Grimm. Fans of Elementary.

Best Scene - Abe tells Henry that they cannot leave New York
Best Sherlock Holmes Impersonation - Henry when stalking the cello player on the subway
The "Welcome Back" Award - Judd Hirsch, who I loved on Numbers
Best Back Story - Abe is the baby Henry's wife rescued from a concentration camp
The "Just No" Award - If you only have 2 episodes, it is way too early for a recapitation.
Most Ludicrous - NO ONE dies that often in one year. I mean he's already died what 4 times in 2 episodes? Nothing like keeping a low profile there.
Best Character - tie - Abe / Lucas
Best Quotes -
1. Lucas: "It's crazy actually. Sometimes he doesn't even need to open 'em up to tell how they died. It's like they speak to him. It's kind of awesome…and kind of creepy."
2. Abe: "I have news for you. You might not be able to die, but you haven't lived for a very long time."
3. Lucas: "That is new information and now something that I can't unknow."

NCIS: NO - 1.01 - Pilot - Musician Heal Thyself

The comfort of police procedurals is you know what you're getting into before you actually watch. This has all the trademarks of a NCIS show. Intriguing case, easy to like characters, and steady pacing throughout. Nothing here will shock you but I did like that the first case was personal to the lead character. As a lead, Pride is far more laid back than Gibbs, less by the book than Hetty, and more seasoned than Callen. Like all of those though, he's passionate about his team, whether officially or unofficially his, and will likely end up a wise father figure to them all. His nemesis is a crooked, up and coming politician, but that's the driest part of the pilot. In the end, the success of all procedurals is in whether the characters grab people's interest or not. The verdict is still out on this one.

Grade: C+
Ranking - 3+

Audience - Fans of NCIS or really any crime procedural

Best Reason to Watch - Scott Bakula
Best Character Interaction - Loretta and Pride
Biggest Aww Scene - Papa Parks says he can't play because he feels he failed his son
Biggest Aww Moment - Pride calls his daughter just to hear her voice
NCIS Cameo - Ducky
Biggest Huh - How did they not smell the body decaying in the New Orleans heat?
The "Welcome Back" Award - CCH Pounder, who played Mrs. Frederic on Warehouse 13
The "Learn Something New Each Day" Award - diet orange means drive-by in gang speak…at least on TV
Trend that Needs to Go - I realize NCIS' trademark is camera stuff in transitions, but the Day-Glo rave hues do nothing for the show. Break tradition and use music to transition to commercial. It is New Orleans.
Most Surprising - This is the least technical of all the NCIS franchise, but they have a sweet office kitchen and don't mind taking time out of a case for bread pudding. Nice. Gibbs won't even let his team grab a sandwich.
Best Quote - Pride: "What the hell you waiting for?" LaSalle: "Well you did offer breakfast….We'll take it to go."

Black-ish -1.01 - Pilot

Black-ish started out rough for me especially since I just watched Fresh Off the Boat, which is a 90's version with Asian culture. Switch noodle cuisine for basketball and it felt like a similar show. I was about to write it off until the end. From the beginning Pops was the best character, mostly because of his snark, so when he explained to Dre that he didn't need to "keep it real" as much as "keep it honest" things did a big 180. The party for his son only made things better. I still don't know if this show is for me, but Laurence Fishburne is always a draw so I'll sample another 1-2 episodes before making a decision.

Grade: C+
Ranking - 3-

Audience - people who like their comedy with social awareness on the side

Best Reason to Watch - Pops
The "Welcome Back" Award - Laurence Fishburne of a gazillion movies, CSI, and Hannibal
Weirdest Reference - OJ Simpson trial, yikes.
Most Repeated Phrase - "Keeping it real." I didn't realize anyone said that anymore.
Most Sympathetic - Andre Junior
Best Quotes -
1. Pops: "I smell a group hug coming on. I'm going to the track."
2. Dre: "No, stand right there and experience your roots." Pops: "You're better off watching Roots."
3. Dre: "Hey Pops, how the hell did you keep it real with us when we were growing up?" Pops: "I didn't. I kept it honest." Dre: "So I really screwed this thing up, didn't I?" Pops: "Screwing things up is just another part of what it means to be a father, Dre. It's how you learn to fix things. Just remember son, whatever you do, make sure it's right for who you are."
4. Pops: "This ain't our culture. We black, not African. Africans don't even like us."

Weekly Shows:

SHIELD - 2.01 - Shadows

I'm not sure what I expected from SHIELD's opening but it was definitely bigger. This felt like a good third or fourth episode, but didn't wow me as a premiere. The highlight was Creel, the new villain. I really liked his super power and I think it will make for an interesting season-long villain. The new mercenaries seem fun as well and I hope they return on a frequent basis. I also thought that they did a good job with Fitz. He is still around but surprisingly, there are consequences for what he's been through. I like the idea of the genius having to struggle to communicate and fighting frustration over his new limitations. Having Simmons be a hallucination was a great twist too. With the exception of the great action sequences, the rest felt a little flat to me and I cannot wait until the storyline kicks into full gear. I know a lot of it will be SHIELD against the US military, which I am not looking forward to, but I have great hopes for season 2 riding high on the end of season 1's momentum.

Grade: B-

Best Scene - HalluciSimmons encouraging Fitz not to give up
Best Reason to Watch - new bad guys, especially Creel
The "Welcome Back" Award - Lucy Lawless, Xena herself, joins the team
Best Back Story - first O84
Biggest Huh - Not sure why they are treating Ward like Hannibal Lector. He betrayed them and he's good at his job, but I'd think any Super Max is good. Surely SHIELD has at least one secure place left.
Best Wrap-Up of a Season One Cliffhanger - Fitz is up and going, but not exactly himself
Biggest Twist - Simmons isn't really there. Fitz is hallucinating her.
Least Likely to Inspire Pity - Ward, no matter how much he tries to sell his sob story in this episode
Best Quotes -
1. Agent: "You get anything?" Tripp: "A new enemy."
2. May: "You're the man in charge but I'm in charge of you, remember."
3. Hartley: "But you should both focus on not saying anything that's really stupid." Idaho: "Yes, ma'am." Hunter: "I'm not making any promises."

Wish list -
1. Continue the momentum from the end of last year
2. Find a plausible reason to keep Ward in the story or better yet make him evil
3. Less Skye in all things. Every time someone tells me how special and amazing she is on this show, the more I dislike her.

Top of my TBBT season 8 wish list was for this train trip to lead to serious character development for Sheldon. I'm not sure that happened and it is a shame. Sheldon really does need to grow up and at least try to respect others because it is getting old. So much so that I was actively cheering for Howard when he kept answering all of Sheldon's questions right. Other than that the only new development was Penny getting a new job and a new haircut. It's nice to see her branch out from waitressing and the acting shtick was getting old.

Grade: C+ / B

Best Scene - the guys hanging out answering trivia questions for candy and congratulating themselves on how smart they are
Best Reason to Watch - Howard vs. Sheldon
Best Improvement - Penny's hair, which looks awesome
Best Secondary Character - Stuart - I am glad he's still living with Howard's mom. That keeps him in the story without having to stretch too much to do so. Plus, he needs a friend too.
Bad Idea with the Best Outcome - Howard joins Sheldon's class
Bad Idea with the Worst Outcome - Amy trying to play Bernadette and Penny against each other
The "Welcome Back" Award - Regina King as Janine Davis
Best Quotes -
1. Penny: "Okay so what? You want me to be like a teacher's pet?" Bernadette: "It couldn't hurt." Leonard: "Oh I don't know. Who here has ever been hurt because they were the teacher's pet?" (They all raise their hands except Penny and Bernadette.)
2. Howard: "First of all, no one can replace me as her son. I'm her little matzo ball."
3. Sheldon: "Amy please, I am trying to figure out a way to intellectually emasculate a dear friend of mine."

Wish list -
1. Sheldon grows up and shows some sort of character growth
2. Something or someone that shakes things up because it is starting to get stale
3. More unusual pairings like Bernadette and Sheldon or Amy and Leonard

The Blacklist - 2.01 - Lord Baltimore

In all honesty, this premiere suffered because I watched Sleepy Hollow right before it. It was much better in the rewatch when I hadn't just been wowed. As the season opens, Red is unconscious in a truck while child soldiers shoot at the adult soldiers pursuing them. Red is unimpressed but it's the most fun anyone is going to have in the whole episode. A few dead people later, Red basically threatens to use missiles against the warlord unless he gives Red the name of the bounty hunter hired to track him. Long story short, Berlin hired Lord Baltimore to find Red's wife, which is the best part of the story. We may have gotten zero answers about Elizabeth and Red, but I hope we continue to learn more about his wife. If not, I would rather drop the serial elements and go straight to the procedural.

Grade: B

Best Scene - Reddington tells Harold he needs to come back

Best Reason to Watch - back story on Red's wife

Most Fascinating - Rowan/Nora

Most Disgusting - Red gets his ex-wife's finger in a box

Most Red Moment - he burns millions of dollars after a missile blows up part of the war lord's camp

Best Twist on the Wall of Weird - Lizzie puts it on the ceiling instead

Biggest Overkill - You'd think it was the warlord with the child soldiers, but nope it was a Mossad agent who sent a helicopter to shoot up a hotel on US soil to capture Reddington.

3. Elizabeth: "You're too healthy to talk to a shrink." Ressler: "I talk to you all the time. Aren't you Board certified?" Elizabeth: "Yeah and in my professional opinion, I think you need to talk to Dr. Friedman."

Wish list:

1-3. ANSWERS!!! This show has a tendency to pile on the questions without answering any first. Stop drawing things out. What is Elizabeth to Red?

4. More grey villains, since they were the most interesting ones last time.

Red Band Society - 1.02 - Sole Searching

Red Band Society is the most surprising show so far this season for me because I still love it. It has great heart without usually going overboard into schmaltzy. Still it is the overall humor that really gets me. I love how these guys invite us to laugh with them through their sorrows when so many shows today want us to laugh at the characters. It helps that each of the kids is sympathetic this episode, including Kara who was a nightmare much of the pilot. She's still a nightmare now, don't get me wrong. It's just that her back story helps explain some of it. Still this is Leo's show and him coping with Jordi getting to keep his leg was well done and rang true for a teen. All in all, this wasn't quite as strong as the premiere but it was still one of the best things I watched all week. Nevertheless, those voiceovers and themes need to go.

Grade: B+

Best Scene - Nurse Jackson and Leo talk
Best Reason to Watch - still a great combination of humor and heart
Best Moment - Jordi writes which leg to take off for Dr. McAndrew
Biggest Huh - Shouldn't Jordi's Mexican talent show winning song be in Spanish? / Why are they having their kegger party in the daytime?
Biggest Annoyance - still the voiceovers
Best Reaction - Brittany when Nurse Jackson compliments her
Best Quotes -
1. Dash: "Looks like someone 'roided up One Direction and mated them with zombies."
2. Jackson: "You can't run away from your life. It's yours and it's precious. You just have to claim it." Leo: "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Jackson: "Well that's what real monkey love is." Leo: "Did that sound weird because I'm still drunk or just because it's weird?" Jackson: "Both."
3. Brittany: "Are you really prepared to let me screw up some sick kid's life on the off chance that I won't continue to suck?"

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Welcome back to Last Week in TV - Summer Edition. As fall TV officially begins tonight for me (Hello, Sleepy Hollow), I have one overarching question - Where did the summer go? Remember back when summer was a wasteland of reruns and TV movies, when the idea of original programming seemed foreign. Or maybe you are of the generation when summer TV largely meant reality shows, USA Network, and yes, copious reruns. I have never had a summer so chock full of original scripted programming before and I am still not caught up. Even more, a lot of this summer's offerings were actually good. Goodbye summer as a TV wasteland and hello trying to frantically trying to catch up on the summer fare I missed so I can chat it up with other fans.

Let's just say I am still behind, so some shows won't be included in this edition especially if they are still airing new episodes. I am currently behind on The Strain (8 episodes), Outlander (2 episodes), Legends (4), Honourable Woman (4), Lottery (6), Chasing Life (5), Crossbones (4), Finding Carter (10), Girl Meets World (8), Halt and Catch Fire (7), Jennifer Falls (4), Motive (5) and Major Crimes (8). I have yet to start Manhattan, The Divide, Defiance, or Under the Dome either. Whew! As I get caught up on them, I will mention it in future posts. My priorities will be The Strain, Outlander, Honourable Woman, and Motive in that order. Also because this is a special summer edition I will not be reviewing a nominated show. However the nomination form is below if you would like to nominate something.

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Overall Awards:

Best Show - The Last Ship

I love a hero and in today's TV, they are hard to come by. Antiheroes and gray area drown out the classic hero story these days, making it hard to root for anything. In comes The Last Ship like a great action film of the 80's. They have a mission and they will complete it with honor and valor. Still in the new landscape of actual good TV choices in the summer, good characters alone can't win the title of Best Summer Show. What edged The Last Ship into first place for me was how often I found myself leaning forward towards the screen because I was so intensely watching how something was going to end. Not once was I watching the time or playing Free Cell like I did with most shows at one time or another. I was completely sold on the need to stay alive to find the cure and therefore their mission became my mission. That's the hallmark of good summer TV for me.

Grade: A-
Status: Renewed for season 2
My Status: Must-See TV

Audience - Anyone who loved hero movies of the 80's. If you thrilled at Top Gun and got chills during the Independence Day speech (yeah, I know that's not the 80's but still), then this show is for you.

Best Reason to Watch - almost everyone gets to be a hero at some point in a TV landscape where it's hard to root for anyone anymore
Best Addition - Tex
All-Encompassing Quote - Slattery: "You're a leader. Lead."
Best Title - Two Sailors Walk into Bar…
Biggest Aww Moment - "We respectfully request to re-enlist."
Worst Plot Device - surprise pregnancy

Best World Building / Second Best Show - Dominion

Dominion was another surprise highlight of the summer season for me because ever since Supernatural, I have had zero interest in warring angels of any kind. Still they have created a complex world in which to set the backdrop of the story and for the most part, they seem to be sticking to the canon of their foundation. As the world opens up beyond Vega, even more history, alliances, and backstory flesh out the characters experiences. The only show that comes even close to creating such a rich setting is Outlander. I would like to see Dominion add more action because there is definitely more political maneuvering than actual fighting given that they are supposed to be in a war. Still the characters are intriguing and I tend to have strong feelings about all of them, for better or worse. Let's just say that Giles from Buffy is NOT a good guy.

Grade: B+
Status: Unknown
My Status: Must-See TV

Audience - People who like to immerse themselves into dystopian worlds or general fans of sci fi

Best Reason to Watch - the rich world building
Best Addition - Arika
Biggest Surprise - I love Anthony Stewart Head from his Giles days and I have seen him in other shows where he was straight up evil, but I never hated his character so much that I wanted him off my screen before.
Best Twist - Noma is an angel
Worst Twist - surprise pregnancy

Best Returning Show - 24: Live Another Day

This is another show that surprised me because I dropped 24 a long time ago. I had a hard time distinguishing Jack and cohorts from the terrorists in previous years, which caused me to say goodbye after a couple seasons. Therefore I was sure that this would be a one and done for me. Imagine my surprise when the premiere had me not only hooked but also rooting for Jack. I found the story gripping and the characters intense. In fact, if they hadn't blown it by dumping in multiple side plots at the very end like an out-of-control comic book movie, then it would have been in the running for best show of the summer. After they killed off Margot Al-Harazi they should have stopped but nope, we needed some Chinese assassins and blown-up trawlers and about 60 other things to muddy the waters. Overall though it was quite the ride and for the first time, I enjoyed spending time with Jack. Chloe, as always, was a huge plus.

Best Reason to Watch - the action
Best Addition - Kate and Adrian
Best Surprise - that this became appointment TV for me
Worst Surprise - the ending that didn't end

Best Reason to Re-Read the Classics - Penny Dreadful

I'm a librarian so the premise of bringing together so many classic characters was fantastic. In the first season alone, Frankenstein, Dorian Grey, Mina/Harker/Dracula, Van Helsing, and a man who looks suspiciously like a tall munchkin all appear along with others. Watching them interact was a high point. Sadly though, while Penny Dreadful started out well, it's overabundance of nudity and the sheer boredom I felt partway through several episodes soon made me want to drop it. I kept hoping it would get better but there are too many drawn-out scenes for me. The cinematography was great and Sir Malcolm Murray calling Vanessa his daughter was the series high point. However, the extended episode length, gratuitous nude scenes, and pacing issues mean I won't be joining for a second season. Such a shame because it could have been an action-packed supernatural thriller.

Grade: D
Status: Renewed for season 2
My Status: Dropped

Audience - people who like cerebral horror and don't mind copious amounts of gratuitous nudity. Try it if you enjoyed True Blood.

Best Reason to Watch - the characters
Best Reason to Avoid - the pacing
Best Addition - Vanessa back story
Best Moment - Sir Malcolm Calls Vanessa his daughter and shoots Mina
Best Twist - Frankenstein's monster kills Frankenstein's monster / Ethan is a werewolf
Most Sympathetic - Frankenstein's murdering monster

Best Surprise - Gang Related

I am still surprised by this show. There are no characters I root for and quite frankly the whole lot should be thrown in jail from the "good" guys to the villains. That's usually a big, red flag for me, but for some reason the plot of this story kept me coming back for more. I kept trying to figure out how Ryan was going to get out of the latest jam without blowing his gang affiliation. In the end it became about who I wanted to die the most, but it still had me wanting to see how it ended. The pacing helped too in that there was always something at the end that made you want to see just a little bit more. Well, me at least. Ratings were low so it was cancelled.

Grade: B-
Status: Cancelled

Audience - People who like complicated serial dramas with a side dish of cop corruption

Best Reason to Watch - the twist - Ryan was groomed by Acosta, a drug cartel leader, to get into the special gang task force to protect the gang
Best Addition - all the characters' shady back stories
Best Character - um, I'm not sure best can be used with any of these guys, but Ryan had the best storyline as the main character
Biggest Surprise - I hated Carlos with a passion and wanted him to die. Still when he was in the wheelchair trying to adjust I felt sympathetic towards him. Of course he ended that quickly by beating his trainer almost to death and then I just wanted him to die again.
Best Twist - The DA is also on Acosta's payroll

Best Action Sequences - Taxi Brooklyn

Generally sword fights and explosions win this category for me, but nothing pumped up the adrenaline more this summer than the car chases on Taxi Brooklyn. They were that good. In fact, I want Leo to join some of my other favorite shows and give them more punch too. The highest praise I can give him is that he is the Fiona Glenanne of the chase. Taxi Brooklyn was a fun show when it wasn't taking itself too seriously . After all, this is a show about a cop who cannot drive herself places and therefore partners with a cab driver. It's as ludicrous as the Castle detective-writer partnership Taxi Brooklyn was obviously copying, right down to the murdered family member of the female cop. Castle at least pokes fun at its premise, while Taxi Brooklyn only seems to do that on the standalone episodes, which may be why they were my favorite. Drop the complicated family crime sagas and make this a fun, crime of the week procedural with plenty of quips and snark. My guess it would be better received that way if it gets a chance to return. Right now that's iffy.

Grade: B-
Status: Unknown
My Status: If it is renewed, I will be watching but I hope it adds more fun in season 2.

Audience - People who like odd couple crime procedurals like Castle

Best Reason to Watch - Romba, who is quick with a joke and is in general the least douchey character
Best Addition - Kat's mom, Frankie
Best Twist - Annabella, Cat's best friend in childhood, is running the family mob business and may have had Cat's father killed
Most in Need of Intensive Therapy - Cat, whose social skills are so atrocious I'm surprised people don't smack her on a regular basis. Argh, she's obnoxious.

Character in Most Need of an Overhaul - tie - TC from The Night Shift / Brenna from Chasing Life / the entire cast of Finding Carter

Now in all fairness I haven't finished Chasing Life or Finding Carter, so if these characters have improved I apologize. Mostly I found Brenna to take top honors in the most annoying teen category (but only because I refuse to watch anymore of that idiot son on Tyrant). She hasn't met a person she liked, an adult she respected, or an issue that she couldn't suddenly make all about her. I spent almost every second of her screen time wishing someone would Gibbs slap her. I am sure she has many good traits and they really need to tap into those because in the episodes I saw, she was just taking up space. Most annoying family goes to the Wilsons, who made lying and terrible communication skills an art form. I realize that their situation was tenuous but no one even tried to see the other side and come up with a compromise. Since I am not one for emoangsting and I sure don't want to watch people yelling all the time, I vote for a whole cast re-do. TC from The Night Shift makes my eyes roll as well. No one with PTSD that bad should ever be making life and death decisions for others. He falls into the category of character where the writers expect me to ignore every stupid and self-centered choice he's made and instantly forgive him because he has puppy dog eyes. It doesn't work that way. His butt should have been fired a long, long time ago and no amount of pushing him as the one and only doctor in the known universe who can save people will excuse him from being a huge douche.

Biggest Disappointment - Teen Wolf

Teen Wolf came into this summer riding on high. Season 3 had the best ratings and the best reviews. Most fans thought the series was at its best and were looking forward to what the summer would bring. What it brought was a huge freaking breakwall that stopped all momentum and a plotline that still makes little sense. Who is the Benefactor? CrazyPants DoucheOrderly, Meredith, Lydia's Granny, Crispy Peter, a freaking machine from the 70's? Who knows? It didn't mean squat except to introduce a kazillion blonde teens that were largely undistinguishable and who sucked time away from people I actually cared about like a wendigo at dinner. Why did we have them again? Oh yeah, to introduce Liam - the worst new character of the entire summer. It's pretty bad when I want AngryBlonde/Mopey/Dopey to die more than Kate. All in all, this was BY FAR the worst season of Teen Wolf and a huge disappointment coming off the amazing 3B. Here's hoping that season 5 returns Teen Wolf to its former glory.

Grade: D+
Status - Renewed for 20 episodes
My Status - Must See TV. One bad season does not a bad show make. I am keeping the faith.

Audience - Despite what it sounds like, the audience is not teens. Sure there is teen drama, more this time than ever, but for the most part this show is for anyone who likes a fast moving plot with lots of action and a set of very likeable characters who strive to be heroes.

Best Reason to Watch - the characters
Best Addition - Malia, who while being introduced in season 3 gets a much, much bigger part in season 4
Worst Addition - Liam
Biggest Twist - Scott makes a beta
Best Twist - Derek takes wolf form
Worst Twist - the majority of the first 2/3 of the season had no overall impact at all

Best Comedy - Young & Hungry

Last season's comedy was some of the best in a long time. Sadly most of it was cancelled so I was anxious to find something light this summer to dull the pain. Enter a ditzy, poor chef with a heart of gold and all her new wacky friends. Young & Hungry is not going to win any awards. It's the froth on your mocha with just about as much substance. It doesn't change the world, but it is self-aware enough to know that and makes its own fun on the way. For the most part the show is carried by Yolanda, the sassy maid, and Sofia, the sassy best friend. Whenever these two are on they steal the show and that's a very good thing because the two leads are trapped in your typical love triangle that is better off fast forwarded. Mostly though it celebrates the power of friendship and creating your own family. That's a theme I can always get behind.

Grade: B-
Status - Unknown
My Status - If it comes back, I'm there.

Audience - people who want a laugh without it always being raunchy

Best Reason to Watch - fun-spirited sass
Best Addition - Cooper (but not for the love triangle)
Worst Plot Device - one love triangle ending just so another can start
Best Story Development - the end of Josh and Caroline
Character Most in Need of Overhaul - Caroline, who's too selfish to make it clear why Josh is with her for so long

Most in Need of a Plot - The Leftovers

I dropped The Leftovers a few episodes in so maybe things have changed, but I have never watched a show that felt like it was missing a plot before. It felt more like scattered character vignettes, tied together by an event we never saw take place. The whole show revolved around how people changed and then went on with their lives after a catastrophic event occurred, in this case a percentage of the people on earth suddenly disappearing. The characters did interact but it never felt like it was a cohesive plot or that it was moving forward at all. One entire episode is about a priest trying to save his church. As a plot-driven viewer, this show was not for me.

Grade: D
Status: Renewed for season 2
My Status: Dropped

Audience - people who like character studies

Best Reason to Watch - in-depth psychological study of how people react to a catastrophe
Most Fascinating - Amy Brenneman
Biggest Mystery - why the cult doesn't talk and chain smokes

Other Summer Shows:

Graceland -

Graceland was my favorite new show last summer, mostly for the big twists and interesting character interaction. This season was not as good but it was still entertaining. The main problem was Mike was a complete douche the entire time. He was my least favorite main character last season, but this season ramped it way, way too much. I spent most of the time hoping he would fail while the rest of the team would succeed.

Grade: B-
Status - unknown
My Status - I will watch if USA will renew but given how they keep cancelling the only shows I like on the network, I won't hold my breath.

Audience - people who like serial crime dramas with plenty of twists

Best Reason to Watch - Jakes and Johnny get more storyline this time
Best Addition - Lucia Solano, the crazy sister of an even crazier thug who Johnny of course beds / Kelly Badillo, whose interaction with Briggs helped the character
Most Useless - Zelanski, who appeared at the beginning as a new housemate and then disappeared after 3 episodes. I still don't know why he was even in it.
Least Suspenseful Cliffhanger - Mike will live on if they continue the series
Worst Plot Device - Juan's cassette tape / surprise pregnancy
Best Resolution of a Bad Plot Device - everyone important now knows what Paul did so we can move on
Most Surprising - Charlie and Briggs got back together

Crossbones -

Crossbones is another example of everyone in a show being evil in turn and having no one to root for. Sadly, this one did not intrigue me enough to forebear it. I alternately wanted everyone dead and I cared not one jot who was screwing whom from one week to another. While it was definitely better than Black Sails and the acting was well done, Crossbones is not for me so I will probably never finish it. Apparently it was not for NBC or their audience either, as it was cancelled.

Grade: D+
Status - Cancelled

Audience - Malkovich fans

Best Reason to Watch - the acting / the secondary characters
Most Intriguing - the women have as significant a place in their society as the men
Best Twist - Tom Lowe saved Blackbeard after he poisoned him
Best Character - it changed with each episode but the Balfours were almost always on my list

Extant -

CBS bet big that a Halle Berry-driven vehicle would be a summer blockbuster. They were wrong. It's a shame though because overall it was a decent story if dragged out a bit too long. I liked how everything tied together so that there weren't the usual huge, gaping plot holes that most genre shows suffer from. The futuristic world with its casual advanced technology was great fun as well. Mostly though this is a coup of casting beyond Halle Berry with Camryn Manheim knocking it out of the park. It also brought up interesting dilemmas of how far technology should advance with the whole immersing an android into the human populace to learn side plot.

Grade: B-
Status: Unknown, likely cancelled
My Status: I thought it wrapped up pretty well so I don't need a TV movie/ pity season for closure

Best Reason to Watch - well-crafted science fiction story that actually felt like they knew where it was going the whole time / top notch casting
Special Kudos - the VFX team for actually good CGI in the futuristic technology scenes
Best Surprise - the android kid who seemed evil in the beginning was actually the hero
Best Casting - Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays a shady futuristic scientist in Helix, also plays a shady futuristic scientist here
Most Predictable - the aliens are evil

Mystery Girls -

I'll admit it. When Beverly Hills 90210 first aired, I too was fascinated by Luke Perry and the whole Peach Pit Gang. Therefore much like Girl Meets World, the only reason I checked it out was nostalgia. There's nothing new here and the characters are so stereotypical it is almost painful. The gay guy is super gay. The self-absorbed celebrity is super into herself. The go-getter never wants to stop and have fun and tends to scold the others throughout the episode. It also ends in a hokey catchphrase most of the time. I realize that Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth don't exactly have people knocking on their doors these days, but they both deserve better. No amount of nostalgia gets me through this.

Grade: D+
Status - Cancelled

Audience - those who really, really loved Beverly Hills 90210

Best Reason to Watch - Beverly Hills, 90210 reunion
Best Character - Charlie for me because she was the most like me

New Shows:

Red Band Society - 1.01 - Pilot

For a story about kids living in the hospital, Red Band Society is fairly upbeat. They joke around and have fun and Nurse Jackson brings the necessary snark. It can go the way of a Hallmark movie/90's teen show, but it is rarely too heavy handed. What is laid on too think is the narration, which adds little to the show except for another character and there's already enough of them. It also has glimpses of teen love triangles which is a big no-no for me, but for now I find it charming so it's got 2 more episodes at least from me.

Most Unrealistic - I have never in my life seen hospital rooms as cool as these.

Mysteries of Laura - 1.01 - Pilot

For once, the biggest draw in this show is the main character. Laura is funny and matter-of-fact. She's also well played by Debra Messing. Sadly, she is saddled with 2 incredibly obnoxious kids and an even worse douchebag husband who drag the entire show down. If I am going to get into another police procedural, it needs to draw me in right away. This one did not, and SPOILER, it didn't help that one of my favorite actors was pretty much booted in the pilot. This one is recommended for those who like a mix of comedy and drama in their procedurals like early Castle and who don't mind a secondary cast of incompetent yahoos. If you're overdone on procedurals, there's nothing here for you.

Grade: C-
Ranking: 2
Prediction - The demo was largely inflated by Debra Messing's return to TV so expect a huge drop off by the third episode; cancelled at season's end

Audience - fans of police procedurals with strong lead females

Best Reason to Watch - Debra Messing

Best Scene - Laura uncovers the killer

Biggest Awww Moment - Laura's kids say she's the best mom in the world

Worst Plot Device - ex as boss

Best Character - Laura

Most in Need of an Overhaul - Jake

Z Nation - 1.01-1.02

I am not predisposed to like zombie shows. Zombies are the gore of the horror genre and that's not my thing at all. Add one of my least favorite actors, kill off the only other guy I know, sprinkle in cheap looking CGI and the SyFy channel can leave me out. For those of you who like your campy SyFy extra gory, this is a less boring, less well-written version of The Walking Dead. Just don't eat during it.

Grade: D-
Ranking: 1---
Prediction - From the network that gave us Sharknado 2, this fits right in.

Audience - People who think The Walking Dead is too slow and doesn't have enough blood spurting

Best Reason to Watch - the laughable special effects make this a zombie comedy

Best Scene - zombie baby attack

Best Quote - Cassandra: "So are we just going to pick up every sketchy loser at every place we stop?" Doc: "Well we brought you along, didn't we?"

Murphy: "So what should I be doing while you all are getting incinerated to death?"

Garnett: "This works easier in the movies."

Biggest Huh? - Why are they reading an executive order from a dead president before killing someone in an extinction level event?

Sunday, September 21, 2014

A weekly feature highlighting the best quotes on TV as picked by the Spoiler TV team this past week. We'd love to hear your picks too so please sound off below the article.

Doctor Who -

1. Doctor: "That’s it. That’s it. There’s so many memories in here, feast on them. Tuck in! Big scarf, bowtie. A bit embarrassing. What do you think of the new look? I was hoping for minimalism, but I think I came out with magician." (Nirat Anop and Sandi)

2. Psi: "Come on, come and find me! Every thief and villain in one big cocktail, I am so guilty. Every famous burglar in history is hiding in this bank right now in one body. Come and feast!! Clara, for what it's worth, and it might not be worth much. When your whole life flashes in front of you, you see people you love, and people missing you...and I see no-one." (Sandi)
~The wonderful performance by Jonathan Bailey as Psi made this 'death' scene very moving.

1. Molly: "Phone home." ~ I thought this was hilarious as a throwback mention to E.T. With this series exploring alien life and Steven Spielberg serving as executive producer, it was a funny kind of "wink-wink" reference. (Tonya Papanikolas)

2. Ethan: "I think this is my purpose." ~ What a great line. It's a topic that adults wrestle with and here was a child robot talking about his purpose. Ethan came a long way since the first episode. This line proved it. (Tonya Papanikolas)

Claire: So you married me to keep me safe." Jamie: "Aye. You have my name, my clan, my family and if necessary, the protection of my body as well." (Nirat Anop)

Claire: "Where did you learn to kiss like that?" Jamie: "I said I was a virgin— not a monk." (Nirat Anop)

Jamie: "Mo nighean donn, my brown-haired lass." (Nirat Anop)

Jamie: "I remember every moment – every second. I’ll never forget when I came out of the church and saw you for the first time. It was as if I stepped outside on a cloudy day, and suddenly the sun came out." Claire: "I can't marry you, I don't even know your real name." Jamie: "It’s Fraser. James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser." Claire: "Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp." (Nirat Anop)

Jamie and Claire: "Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, ’til our Life shall be Done." (Nirat Anop)

Jamie: "They’re Scotch pearls. They belonged to my mother; now they belong to my wife. They’re one of the few things I have left of her. They’re very precious to me. As are you, Claire.” (Nirat Anop)

Red Band Society -

1. Kara: "Ow. You just gave me nip-lash. Are you man-strating?” (Tonya Papanikolas)

2. Kara: “Your taste in music is so average, it hurts me. Scoop some vanilla ice cream on your white bread, will ya?” (Tonya Papanikolas)

3. Nurse Jackson: "You know what happens to patients who cry wolf? We sell their organs for cash on the black market and split the money." (Dahne)

1. Nero: "So who do we say we are?" Wendy: "I don't know. The nanny and the gardener?" Nero: "I'm going to pretend you didn't even say that." (Sharon Seymour)

Nero and Wendy trying to come up with aliases before signing Abel up for pre-school.

The Strain -

1. Palmer: "Human DNA decays as we age. Over time it frays and it fails and we follow suit. But it's a code that can be rewritten. Re-write the software and you control the hardware. The meat, muscle and tissue that is mankind." Dutch: "To what end?" Palmer: "If hacking is about exploring the limits of what is possible, then I am on the verge of achieving what you would consider the ultimate hack. Cheating death." Dutch: "Immortality?" Palmer: "Yes." (Andy Page)

Unforgettable -

1. Carrie (to Al): "Some of the most sacred memories - it takes awhile to reveal them, even to the person you love." (I love that Carrie was in the middle of talking about jello when suddenly she fearlessly calls Al the person she loves - without a second thought. It was a bold statement that was fitting after she'd just faced death.) (Tonya Papanikolas)

2. Carrie: "Are you hitting on me? While I'm about to throw up in the sink in a men's bathroom...? Come on, man." (Sharon Seymour)

Witches of East End -

1. Dash: "That's great. I'm so relieved to know I didn't have sex with my own grandmother last night." (Sharon Seymour)

Dash trying to make sense of Ingrid's past-life involvement with his grandfather.